Apparatus for the treatment of textile



Jan. 10, 1956 a. STEVERLYNCK Re. 24,109

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE MATERIALS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES Original Filed Sept. 30. 1949 5a14wg5steve4 m, l/rymrox? cakes, or

penetration of the dye baths to a remarkable extent and Re. 24,109 Reissues! Jan. 10,1950

December 8, 1954, Serial No. 474 In the Netherlands February 10, 1949 Claim!- (Cl. 68l84) Matter enclosed In heavy brackets appearsin the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed In italics indicates the additions made by rel-tie.

The present invention relates to a machine for the treatment of textile materials (dyeing, bleaching, im-

pregnating, sizing, etc.) in over-pressurized closed apparatus.

The dyeing machines actually on the market present two major drawbacks, inherent [to] in their design.

The circulation in the dye baths'depends on a centrifugal pump or a pump of a different type, so that the material to be dyed is necessarily compressed by the pressure of the liquor. It will be easily understood that the higher the circulation pressure, the more the material will be compressed and the more diflicult will be the circulation of the dye baths.

On the other hand, most dyeings are efiected at a temperature approaching the boiling point. It is, however,

generally admitted that the output of centrifugal pumps is greatly reduced, when the dye baths near the boiling temperature. As a-consequence, the circulation in boiling dye baths is considerably reduced, with the result of extending the duration of the dyeing.

These twodrawbacks are totally eliminated by the new machine which constitutes the subject matter of the present invention.

The new apparatus allows an abatement to 50% of the pressure and output of the pumps ofthe machines and results in a considerable saving of time required for the dyeing. The dyeing material is never distorted, be it material in raw stock or on cops [tops], packages, beams, the like, and it remains soft, thus favoring the allowing a considerable reduction of time for the dyeing operation. Furthermore, the use of the lowest possible pump pressure tends to inhibit the formation of channels through which the liquor would pass without penetrating the dyeing material properly.

This achievement is attained in a very simple manner, merely by applying aconstant over-pressure during the dyeing operation by means of a balance tank which is preferably connected to the suction side of the pump. This over-pressure is provided either by expanding the dye baththrough heating or by introducing a compressed gas [into] to provide a resilient gas cushion in the upper part of the balance tank.

This tank is provided with a water level gauge for [permanent] continuous control of the liquid level of its contents and also has on its top portion a valve with a funnel located above the valve and through which dyestuffs and other substances may [eventually] be fed to the tank while dyeing is in progress.

The balance tank which is always half empty prevents disruption of themachine and, through its cushion of compressed air, it exercises an elastic pressure on the suction side of the pump, thus reducing formation of vapor. This improves the output of the circulation pump, as com- TREATMENI onrnxnm UnitedStatcs Patent ()ffice pared with prior an atmospheric dyeing machines, in an extraordinary way even when approaching the boiling temperature. As the circuit is completely closed, temperatures of 110 C. and higher are easily reached without disturbing the proper operation of the pump. the pipes or other parts of the machine, for the pressure resulting from the rise in temperature prevents boiling of the dye bath. Moreover, any unwanted intake of air through the packing on the suction side of the pump is avoided by the efiect of the overpressure. I

Dyestufis and other substances may be easily added to the dye bath by closing the lower valve of the balance tank, without stopping the circulation or having to drop the machine pressure.

The possibility of heating dye baths at temperatures .over C. allows, in most cases, to obtain a dispersion temperature of the dye baths during the dyeing operation as he deems it necessary. In that case compressed air or gas may be fed to the upper part of the balance tank in order to make it possible to keep the machine under static pressure while dyeing is in progress.

The result of dyeing under overpressure or at high temperature is a perfect penetration of the dyeing materials, even of the most refractory ones, and an excellent levelling on delicate materials, such as cakes of rayon of the finest denier, mercerized cotton on packages, spun staples, beams, yarn or hanks, etc., within ,a very short time.

The essential characteristics of the improved machine which is the object of the present invention will be more clearly explained, by way of example only, in the following description.

In the accompanying drawing the machine has been diagrammatically illustrated in perspective view.

The machine as illustrated is in part known but has certain devices that make it possible to bring the textile four-way valve 4 and the pump 3 whereas a pipe 8 links the valve 4 with the pump 3, with the heat exchanger 2 between them. The balance tank (expansion vat) 11 is pressure tight and may be connected to a [compressor] high pressure gas bottle 10 [over] through a valve 10a. The balance tank is also connected to the suction side of the pump 3. The inlet and exhaust pipes of the balance tank are provided with valves 12 and 13, respectively, and, to facilitate the addition to the tank of water'or active substances, the inlet pipe is provided with a funnel 14. Furthermore, the balance tank is also fitted with a water gauge 16 for the constant control of its contents, a safety valve Ila, a pressure gauge 19 and an air release valve 18.

There is also an air valve 17 on top of the dye vat 1.

In operatiomthe active substances and the fibres to be subjected to the treatment are introduced into the dye vat 1, and the latter is tightly closed. The vol 1 constrains the dye liquor to flow in the usual manner through the material to be treated. Hie pump 3 is then set in .motion, and the liquor circulates through the vat in one wen,

- pipes connecting said double whereby said means and 'topofsaidclosed .betweensaidvatandsaidpump,

3 circulationsystsmandconsequentlyalaointhedyevatl, thabalance tank lliaconnected source, for example, to a pressure-tilled gas bottle 10.

toasuitablepressure 'lhesamebalancetankisalsousedtoaddactivesub-.

stances or liquid to the circulation system while the dyeing is proceeding. For this purpose the valve 13 is temporarily closed and the valve 12 is opened. After the addition of the liquid the valve 12 is closed and the valve Hisopenedagainttojnastoallowthecontentsofthe tank 11 toflowinto thecirculationsystem. Bywayot example, pressure gas may be introduced at the top of thetankandatthesametimesomeliquormaybeallowed to escape through valve 17. Obviously, other suitable means maybeusedtoattain thesameobiectives.

'lheheatexchanger2hasbeenprovidedtowasmup liquor. It has two valves, one othertoraddingcoldwster. theliquoriaableto twopositionsof reversing valve4byfulllineanddottedal'tows.

Whatlclaimis:

. I. An apparatus for treating textile material, and particularly for dyeing such textile material in an aqueous bath attemperatures close to and above 100 C., said apparatus comprising, in combination, a substantially hermetically closed vat, a circulating pump, a double valve, valve with the inlet and outlet of said vat, liquid circulating means conn said double valve with the inlet and outlet of said pump said pipes constitute a closed m'ain circulation circuit between said vat and a closed balance tank situated outside otsald circuit, means uponthetopotsaidbalancetanklorsupplyingaliquid thercto,wherebysaidhalsncetankalsoservesssasupply vesseLapipeconnectingthebottornofsaidbalancetank with the first-mentioned means adjacent to the inlet of saidpump,asinglevalvecaniedbythelastmentioned pipe,andmeanssupplylngatwillgastothe 2.Anapparatusfortreatingtextilematsrial.andparticularlyiordyeingsuchtexlilematerial'in queons bath at temperatures close to and above 100' C., said a substantially hermetically closed vat, a circulating pump, a double valve. pipes connecting said double valve with the inlet and outlet of said vat, liquid circulating means connecting said double valve with the inlet and outlet of said pump and including a, heat exchanger oi said pump and said double valve, and said pipes constitute a closed main circulation circuit M "we f a a closedmbalanceftank situa on o circuit, means upon e top 0 said balance tank for supplying a liquid thereto, whereby said balancetankalsoservesasasupplyvessehapipeconnectingthe otsaidbalancetankwiththeflrst said vat and said pump, a closed balance tank situated outrideofsaidcircuiameansuponthetopofsaidbalance tank for supplying a liquid thereto, whereby said balance tank servesasasupply vessel, apipe connectingthe bottomolmidbalancetankwithsaidclrctdtadlacentto theinletofsaidpump,asinglevalvecontrollingfiow throughsaidlastmentlonedfluacndmmsuppiyingat said pump,

will compressed gas to the top of said closed balance tank.

4. In a liquid treatment apparatus of the class described, in combination with a closed pressure tight vat adapted to hold therein material to be treated and to constrain a treatment liquor entering said vat to flow through said material, a closed circulatory duct system connected to diflerent portions of said vat which communicate with oppositely disposed portions of said material for conveying said liquor therethrough, and pump means serially included in said duct through said duct system and said vat to constitute a closed main circulation circuit for said liquor extending through said vat, said duct system and said pump, the

provision of: a closed pressure tight balance tank situpreventing located between the outlet ,mitting gas to flow ated outside of said circuit; controllable means connected to said balance tank for maintaining said tank partially filled with a liquid and maintaining a resilient cushion of gas under a pressure appreciably higher than atmospheric pressure above the liquid in said partially filled tank,- means defining a branch passage interconnecting said circuit and a portion of said balance tank situated beneath the level of the liquid therein, said passage defining means both appreciable circulatory flow of said liquor in said circuit through said balance tank and transmitting to the liquor in said circuit the hydrostatic pressure of said liquid in said balance tank.

5. The combination according to claim 4, in which said branch passage is defined by a branch duct connected to mid circuit intermediate said vat and the induction side of said pump means.

6. The combination according to claim 4, in which said controllable means further comprises: a source of gas under relatively high pressure, duct means connecting said source to said balance tank, and valve means included in said connection from said source to said tank for perfor increasing the pressure of said gas cushion above said liquid. k

7. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising the provision of controllable valve means included in said passagedefining means for temporarily shutting 017 said branch 8. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising controllable inlet means communicating with the interior of said balance tank for introducing any desired soluble substance into said liquid within said tank, where-' by said balance tank additionally serves as a supply vessel.

9. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising controllable heat exchange means serially included in said circuit for varying the temperature of'said liquor.

10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein said .heat exchange means is adapted to heat said treatment liquor to a temperature which is at least equal to the boiling point thereof and in which said branch passage communicates with a portion of said circuit in proximity to the inlet of said pump means for applying said hydrostatic pressure to the liquor in said circuit which is entering said pump means, thereby tending to prevent the formation of vapor within said pump.

system for forcing said liquor to flow at will from said source to said tank 

